Passengers praise new direct flights from Humboldt County to Los Angeles

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Headwaters Fund Board of Directors Chairman Chuck Ellsworth cuts a ribbon at the Humboldt County Airport in McKinleyville on Thursday morning to celebrate the arrival of United Airlines’ first direct flight from Los Angeles International Airport to Humboldt County. - Will Houston — The Times-Standard

Passengers disembark what was the first direct passenger flight by a commercial airliner from Los Angeles to Humboldt County since 2011. United Airlines on Thursday began offering daily flights between the two airports. - Will Houston — The Times-Standard

Dr. Corliss Bennett was the first passenger to disembark what was the first direct, passenger flight from Los Angeles to Humboldt County since 2011.

Thursday marked the first day United Airlines began offering direct, daily flights between Humboldt County and Los Angeles International Airport. United Airlines’ San Francisco International Airport manager Amy Pellatz is a Humboldt County native and began her career at the Humboldt County airport. At a celebration for the new flight at the Humboldt County airport in McKinleyville on Thursday, she said the new direct flight “connects the entire community to the globe” with LAX being the “gateway to Asia” and amplifying business travel to the region.

“It’s just a route that really fits this community,” Pellatz said.

Bennett — who is the director of Humboldt State University Cultural Centers for Academic Excellence and was returning from a trip where she spoke as the keynote speaker in Pasadena City College’s black graduation ceremony — said she regularly travels to Los Angeles to visit family.

In the past, she and other passengers had to take two flights to reach LAX — first to San Francisco and then a connecting flight to Los Angeles.

But on the return flight Thursday morning, Bennett said she didn’t have to worry as much about notorious delays that often accompany flights between San Francisco and Humboldt County.

“I’ve only been here two years so it’s always scary trying to figure out if the fog is going to come in and there is a canceled flight,” Bennett said. “… So I was so excited that this return trip came directly here.

“So it’s good, I can sleep and then wake up and land and be here,” Bennett continued with a laugh. “So, I’m very excited about it.”

Prior to the first Los Angeles’ flight’s arrival, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the airport which was attended by airport patrons and employees, local elected officials including newly elected 4th District Supervisor Virginia Bass and Eureka City Councilwoman Marian Brady and many others.

Ticket prices

So how much will a round-trip ticket cost? That seems to depend on the duration of the trip and the day of the week passengers fly.

According to United Airlines’ website, economy ticket prices in June and July varied between $215 to $650 as of Wednesday morning.

Bennett said she plans to return to Los Angeles soon and bought a ticket for less than $400, which she said is more affordable than the two flights that it used to take.

United Airlines announced in January that it would begin offering one daily flight to and from LAX to Humboldt County in response to customer demand. The service will be provided using 50-seat CRJ regional jets through Skywest Airlines, which contracts with United.

The Times-Standard asked why the flight prices varied so extensively for different days of the week and the length of stay.

“We continuously monitor supply and demand and markets we serve and determine competitive offerings that meet the needs of our customers,” Unnikrishnan said.

Boosting travel

The county’s Aviation Division, which manages the six airports, has run a budget deficit for the past nine years, and was expected to have a negative balance of about $500,200 by June 30, 2018, according to county budget reports from mid-2017.

United Airlines is currently the only passenger airliner serving the Humboldt County airport. The last airliner to offer direct flights to Los Angeles was Horizon Airlines, which ended the service in 2011. The county secured a second airliner, PenAir, in 2017 to provide service to Portland, Oregon, but PenAir ended service to Humboldt County in August after filing for bankruptcy.

Redwood Region Economic Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Foster said the county’s history has shown that by adding more seats, more people start using them.

“So our goal is to get our capacity back up to where it was in the mid-2000s, when we’re doing almost double the traffic,” Foster said. “… It’s really important for our economy to be connected to the world. This is just another way of doing it.”

The county was able to secure the Los Angeles flight with United Airlines through a minimum revenue guarantee of $505,000 raised by Fly Humboldt, an informal group of community partners and businesses that seeks to promote local airline service. Fly Humboldt raised approximately $1.6 million for a minimum revenue guarantee.

Foster previously told the Times-Standard the funds will only be provided to United if the company does not meet a certain amount of revenue from the new route during its first year.

Foster and other aviation officials said the new Los Angeles flight will be useful for business purposes, international travelers and for local college students from Los Angeles.

For the past several months, Orange County resident Colton Whitney has been flying north to Humboldt County from Los Angeles every three weeks to visit his girlfriend. Thursday morning was the first time he was able to make a direct flight.

Lack of available flights and airliners through recent years has caused the county’s airport system to struggle financially. The county is now working to restructure the management of its aviation system while simultaneously working to attract more airlines to bolster revenue.

As Whitney disembarked the plane Thursday, he noticed several news cameras were pointed their direction including one manned by his girlfriend who reports for KIEM’s Redwood News. Whitney said he learned she’d be covering the flight the night before.